Measuring and drafting instrument



Nov. 2, 1943. E. z. GALEA A MEASURING AND DRAFTING' INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR inwARllznfi Al-sA wm'liuxauf Xmmms FIG ' Nov. 2, 1943. GALEA 2,333,307

MEASURING AND DRAFTING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 50, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 38 INVENTOR 31 EDWARD .zeAusA FIG-6 B 333M 33 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEASURING AND DRAFTING INSTRUIVIENT Edward Z. Galea, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application January 30, 1942, Serial No. 428,924

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in combination measuring and drafting instruments and is a continuation, in part, of the invention described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 425,167, filed December 31, 1941.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a combination measuring instrument which has a wider range of adjustment and usefulness as compared with the instrument disclosed in said prior application.

Other objects, advantages and characteristic features of the invention are fully set forth in the detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a front elevational view of my improved instrument. In this view the full lines indicate the normal arrangement of the component parts of the instrument while the dotted lines indicate an adjusted arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the component parts in a difierent position illustrating the maximum range of adjustment obtained by relative sliding movement of said parts.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views showing the pencil holder attached to one of the measuring tips of the instrument appearing in the preceding figures.

Fig. 7 is a view showing a slight modification of the instrument appearing in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

As shown in these drawings, my improved instrument comprises a pair of pivotally connected legs 5, each comprising an upper or main leg section 5 and a plurality of slotted extension sections designated 1, 8 and 9, the section 9 constituting the lower or tip section of the leg. The main leg sections 6 are pivotally connected together along their upper ends by a pivot ID, the portions of said leg sections which project above the pivot being engaged by the ends of a spring I l which normally tends to swing the lower ends of the leg sections 6 outwardly with respect to each other. A suitable adjusting means, generally indicated at I2, is provided to control the extent to which the lower ends of the leg sec tions 6 are separated from each other by the action of the spring ll. As here shown, said adjusting means comprises a screw threaded rod [3 which passes slidably through a guide M carried by one of the leg sections 6 and has one end secured to a swivel member I2a carried by the remaining leg section 6. An adjusting nut I5 is movable along the rod l3 and is arranged to bear against a washer H; which is interposed between said nut and the guide l4. When the nut 15 is moved toward the outer end of rod l3 it permits separation of the lower ends of the leg sections 6 by the spring ll. When the nut I5 is moved toward the guide l4 it serves to close the leg sections 6 against the resistance of the spring II. The lower end of each leg section 6 terminates in an oblique inclined cross head 6a which provides an elongated bearing surface for the extension leg sections I, 8 and 9 when the latter are arranged in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1.

The sections 6, 1 and 8 of each leg 5 are normally arranged as indicated by full lines in Figs. 1 and 3. In this position of the parts a threaded stud l8, carried by leg section 6, projects through longitudinally extending slots la and 1b provided, respectively, in the extension sections '1 and 8. A clamping nut I9 is threaded onto the free end of the stud l8 and into clamping engagement with the leg section 8 so as to normally retain the leg sections 6, I and 8 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A second threaded stud 20 carried by the leg sections 1 extends outwardly through the slots lb of the leg 8 and is fitted at its outer end with a clamp ing nut 2| normally disposed in clamping engagement with said leg sections 8. A third threaded stud 22, carried by the leg section 8, projects outwardly through a slot 23 provided in the leg section 9 and is fitted at its outer end with a clamping nut 24.

When the extension sections 1 and 8 of each leg 5 are positioned as shown by full lines in Figs. 1 and 3, they lie between guide lugs 25 which are formed integral with the leg section 6 and are located a slight distance above the cross head 6a. When the extension sections 1 and 8 of each leg 5 are in this position the guide lugs 26 hold them against swinging movement about the pivotal axis afforded by the stud I8.

It will be noted that each leg section 8 is a substantially L-shaped member presenting a relatively short arm 8a and a relatively long arm 8b, the latter being normally positioned on the leg sections 6 and 1 so that it is held against swinging movement by the lugs 26.

Each leg section 9 is provided with a tip portion 9a which extends at an angle to the shank portion 9b in which the slot 23 is formed. The tip portion 9a of each leg section 9 terminates in a pointed end and is also shaped to provide an upper inwardly directed lug 9d and a lower outwardly directed lug 9e. The tip portion 9a of each leg extension 9 is also provided with a notch 9! for a purpose hereinafter referred to.

The effective length of each leg may be increased to a substantial extent by backing OK the clamping nut I9 and sliding both leg sections 1 and 8 downwardly until the upper ends of the slots 1a and 1b are brought against the stud l8, the nut l9 being then screwed up tight to hold the leg sections 1 and 8 in their new or adjusted position. Following this adjustment the length of each leg may be further increased by removing both of the clamping nuts l9 and 2|, lifting I the leg section 8 clear of the leg section I and the studs 18 and and then re-applying the leg section 8 to the leg section I so that only thestud 20 is received through the slot' 1b of leg section 8, the nuts I9 and 2! being then re-applied. This last mentioned rearrangement of the parts is. illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the leg sections 1 are shown in their lowermost positionswith the leg sections 8 superimposed thereon so that only the stud 20 extends through the slots 1b,

In addition to the previously mentioned sliding adjustments it will-be apparent that various other relative sliding and angular adjustmentsof the sections 6, I and 8 of each leg 5 may be resorted to to facilitate the measurementof articles of various sizes and shapes or the inscribing of circles of various diameters. For example, the sections 1 and 8 of each leg may be moved downwardly until their upper ends are below the lugs 26 and may thenbe swung to any desired angular position about the pivotal axis afforded by the stud l8, one said angular position of adjustment being indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 1'. It will also be apparent that, when the sections of each leg are extended as shown in Fig. 2"the section 1 may be'swung about the stud I8 to various angular positions with respect to section 6; section 9 may be swung about the stud 20 to various angular positions with respect to section 1 and section 9 may be swung about stud 22 to various angular positions with respect to the arm 8a of section 9. These possible relative arrangements of the component sections of each leg enables the instrument to be used for making measurements and doing other work that would ordinarily require the use of 5 or 6 different caliper-type measuring instruments. leg sections 9 enable the instrumentdescribed herein to be used as dividers for measuring distances. The outwardly directed lugs 96 of the leg sections 9 enable the instrument to be used as inside calipers while the. inwardly directed lugs 9d enable the instrument to be used as outside calipers.

The cross heads 6a of the leg sections Bare provided with lugs 21' similar to the lugs 26. These lugs 21 serve to hold the leg sections 1 and 8 parallel with the cross heads when said The sharp points 9c of the integralv with a U-shaped portion 33.

leg sections are positioned between the lugs of each pair as indicated, for example, by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Similar lugs 21 are provided on the shorter arms of the leg sections 8 to hold the leg sections 9 against swinging movement when the latter leg sections are positioned as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When the instrument described herein is to be used for scribing purposes it may be equipped with a pencil 30 held in a pencil holder 3| which is removably clamped to the tip portion 9a of one of the leg sections 9 (see Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive). In the present instrument I have shown a pencil holder formed from a single piece of metal which is bent to provide a split pencil clamp 32 formed The U-shaped portion 33 is fitted over the tip portion of the leg sections 9 and is secured in place by suitable clamping means comprising a threaded stud 34 and a clamping nut 35. The stud 34 passes through the sides of the U-shaped clamping portion 33 and through the notch 91 of the leg section 9 and is provided, at the end remote from the clamping nut 35, with an enlarged head 36. A second stud 31 passes through the split pencil clamp 32 and is provided at one side of said clamp with an enlarged head or plate 38. At the side of the pencil clamp remote from the head 38 the stud 31 is fitted with a clamping nut 39 which bears against a washer 40. The pencil gripping or clamping portion 32 of the pencil holder is preferably obliquely inclined as shown in Figs. 4 to 6.inc1usive.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a slight modification in V which the section 9 of eachleg is replaced by a section 43 provided with a tip portion 44 which lies parallel with the shank portion 45, the latter being provided with a slot 46 accommodating the stud 22 of the associated leg section 8.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: i

1. An instrument of the character described comprising a pair of sectional leg members -pivotally connected together adjacent their upper ends, each leg member including an upper main section and at least one extension section slidably and pivotally connected to said main section, the lower end of each main section vbeing formed to provide an obliquely inclined cross head and being provided with a pivot pin extending from the central portion of the cross head through an elongated slot formed in the associated extension section, said pivot being provided with a clampingnut threaded onto the free end thereof.

2. An instrument as set forth in claim 1 including guide lugs carried by the cross head of each main leg section. and adapted to engage opposite side edges of the associated extension section when the latter is arranged on said cross head in a position parallel thereto.

EDWARD Z. GALEA. 

